May 21, 2024
Empowering Female Overcomers of Exploitation w/ Danielle Freitag
Danielle Freitag, co-founder and executive director of Action169, is on a mission to empower women to overcome substance use and to enable those in sexually exploitative industries to know their intrinsic worth. As a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, she has worked in a variety of settings as a counselor and advocate to provide direct support, care and counseling for women in recovery. She joins Next Steps Forward host Chris Meek to speak about the trauma-informed, faith-centered counseling program she created that promotes holistic restoration through evidence-based practices, including the creative arts. As an overcomer of severe addiction and the commercial sex industry, Danielle’s captivating story of transformation will inspire hope in the audience and leave them with solutions to overcome in their own lives .
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Narator: There are few things that make people successful. Taking a step forward to change their lives is one successful trait, but it takes some time to get there. How do you move forward to greet the success that awaits you? Welcome to Next Steps Forward with host Chris Meek. Each week, Chris brings on another guest who has successfully taken the next steps forward. Now here is Chris Meek.
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Chris: Hello, I'm Chris Meek, and you've tuned to this week's episode of Next Steps Forward. As always, it's a pleasure to have you with us. Our special guest today is Danielle Freitag. Danielle is an author, the co-founding executive director of Action 169, and she has overcome severe addiction in the commercial sex industry. She's a licensed alcohol and drug counselor who received her degree from Minnesota State University. She has continued to work in a variety of settings as a counselor and advocate, providing direct support, care, and counseling for women in recovery, and her mission is to empower women to overcome substance use and to enable those in the strip club industry to know their intrinsic worth.
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Danielle Freitag is the creator of a trauma-informed, faith-centered counseling program that promotes holistic restoration through evidence-based practices, including the creative arts. She's the author of Best Care Practices, a manual for service providers, and The Garden Keys, 22 Keys of Restoration Volumes 1 and 2. Danielle Freitag, welcome to Next Steps Forward.
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Danielle: All right. Thanks, Chris, for having me.
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Chris: Danielle, there are so many aspects of this topic to discuss, but let's begin with your story, which is described as a captivating story of transformation that inspires hope and offers solutions.
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Danielle: Yes. Maybe let's set a time limit. You cut me off.
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[laughter]
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I'll try to keep it short. There is so much which is in part, why I wrote a couple of books. I grew up in a small town in southern Minnesota. Honestly great family. Went to school, all the things, played in sports. In my teen years just really began to struggle, started early drug use, and there was alcoholism growing up in my home. Thankfully, my dad is now sober. There's a great story there of transformation, but I really believe that there was a part of me that just really struggled from that, and so seeking older male comfort and ended up in a relationship with an older gentleman, an older man, and it was through that "relationship" that led me into the strip club industry. Just after my 18th birthday, I started working in the strip clubs in Minneapolis and was stuck there for several years.
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That's the short version of being essentially groomed into the commercial sex industry.
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Chris: I've heard the word groomed so often by survivors. Can you share some examples of what that actually means? Because I think some people just might not know what's coming, what's happening.
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Danielle: Yes, definitely. For me, one of the ways that, now looking back and doing what I do now, I can see a lot clearer how I was groomed. I was already struggling with substance use, so alcohol and drugs, and the boyfriend that I had at the time, and keep in mind, I was still in school. I'm going to school, like high school, but going to parties, things like that, and the boyfriend that I had, what ended up happening is he had essentially coerced me into doing a, his words, harmless strip tease for one of his friends, and it was his friend that ended up pursuing me, and really through buying gifts, taking me places that I thought at the time were exciting. Again, still trying to go to school, playing sports, but also really struggling.
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Grooming would also have been just the attention. Really youth are vulnerable because they're youth, but then add into the fact that I grew up in a home where there was alcoholism, was already struggling with substance use, those vulnerabilities, added to being a having that happen. I hope that answers your question, I'm just trying to think of, there's so many different ways of grooming, but for me, when I look back, that's what happened, it was the substance use, it was the attention, it was all of those things.
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Chris: Those seem to be fairly common, like I mentioned, the other survivors I spoke to. Thanks for sharing those. Many people think of the adult film industry, when this topic comes up, define commercial sex exploitation so people understand everything that's involved, and is it more than just pornography?
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Danielle: Sure. This is a great question, by the way, I was reading through the notes, and this is a good question, because a lot of times, we hear the word human trafficking out there. Really, we need to look at the full spectrum, commercial sexual exploitation, which does include being prostituted, it includes being brought into pornography, live sex shows, stripping, personal sexual servitude, escort services. I can't tell you the number of women that I've worked with who through limited choices, maybe they started working in the strip club, and then they got into escort services, which is a form of trafficking, somebody's profiting off of their exploitation. Sex tourism, mail order brides, the list goes on, but that is commercial sexual exploitation.
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Chris: When did you co-found Action 169, and who worked with you to get started?
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Danielle: Action 169 has been around since 2014, and actually began from a group of individuals, good friends of ours, my husband and I, a couple others, we actually started having prayer meetings. We are a faith-based organization, and I have no shame in saying that, because it is through my faith that not only I came out of everything, but then also, I believe the opportunities we've had is also because of that. We started, actually, prayer, and just really looking into the issue of exploitation trafficking, and how can we be a support to those who have been affected? How can we provide a bridge of services? It's never been about rescuing, it's been about meeting women where they're at.
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What ended up happening is I got to fulfill a dream, which was actually to go back into the strip club industry, and not to work, but to actually build a relationship with the women who are still there. To this day, that is our number one ministry focus. Number one, we do an array of other things. Co-founder of friends of Ours, my husband as well, and that's really how we started, so since 2014.
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Chris: How'd you choose the name, Action 169?
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Danielle: Yes, so a lot of times, people think that it's because-- so Minnesota Highway 169, and interestingly enough, we do, we started, we had a billboard that we put up on Highway 169, but that's not the reason for our name. Actually, it comes from the book of Acts, chapter 16:9, and Paul is actually given a dream, he's given a vision of a man in Macedonia who is suffering, and what's great about this verse, the next verse, 10, is that after he gets the word, after he gets the vision, he immediately takes action, and he goes to Macedonia, but then you read further into the chapter, and it's actually a woman that they first encounter, and so it's Acts, chapter 16:9, 169.
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Chris: Did you begin with the same mission that you have today, or did it expand as Action 169's resources grew?
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Danielle: Yes, so we definitely have expanded. We have three main avenues of reach prevention, so a couple of our prevention programs definitely work towards building stronger families. We have things like the Daddy Daughter Dance, where dads get the opportunity to hear an incredible dad talk, bring their daughters to a dance, build that relationship. We also have a prevention program called Runway for Action, where we have mentorship and provide high-end prom dresses to girls in high school, so there's a whole story there. It's so cool. We have prevention, we have intervention, we've always had intervention, which is our strip club outreach, where we are building relationships, bringing gifts into the strip clubs, no strings attached, and then we also have our restoration program.
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I actually want to just share very briefly that the dream, and it's still here, but the dream was to be able to provide restorative care to those who are choosing to get out. To those who are out and looking for support. We've actually, through intervention and restoration been able to provide support services one way or another to about 600 women, some with children, and we did open up a home in 2020. Yes, the timing, 2020, everything that happened, but yes andactually our adoption went through, so I became a mother, in 2020, and then we opened up Rose House, and we're open for just about four years. Just most recently, we're shifting gears. It's been good. It's also been challenging. We have been able to provide housing support for a period of time, and are in the deciding factor of what to do there, but we're still providing support services, individual care groups, and yes. It's been, since 2014, the stories, but the neat thing, I've been able to meet some incredible women who some get out, some go on to other things, and then there's others who are still working, for example, in the strip clubs, and that's what they're wanting to do right now. I'm still going to meet them where they're at.
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Chris: Action 169 is located in Fairmont, Minnesota. When people think of the commercial sex trade, they probably don't think of it, much of a problem in Fairmont, Minnesota, with a population of 10,200. Do we have the wrong impression of wholesome Midwest, and what's actually happening in rural America with sex trade?
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Danielle: Yes, so another really good question. I'd be interested to hear, I know, Chris, that you've done several interviews, and that's great that you're meeting with survivors and hearing, it'd be interesting to hear. Go back and listen to all your other podcasts and hear what is said, but as far as Minnesota goes, I'm just going to give a fact or a stat here as a Minnesota fact. In just 2021, there were 335 tips in Minnesota, so from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, that means that there were 335 tips, 119 of them were the victims or survivors, I should say, overcomers of human trafficking.
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In those cases, 98 were identified, and they involved 148 victims. The state recorded 75 sex trafficking cases and eight labor cases, and actually, this is an old stat, but the Twin Cities is still, and it definitely was in the top 13 US cities for child sex trafficking. Take into account, that there are maybe roughly 25 strip clubs in Minnesota. Wherever there is commercial sexual exploitation, wherever there are strip clubs, there will be sex trafficking. That is an absolute fact from having worked in the strip clubs for six years, it just is, and so, yes, there's exploitation happening here, there's trafficking happening right in Minnesota.
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Chris: Obviously, money's a driver, or maybe the driver, of the commercial sex trade, but is it essentially, for lack of a better term, mama-pop strip clubs, or is it more of an organized industry?
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Danielle: I would definitely say an organized industry, and from seeing the inner workings of family ownership of a certain brand of strip clubs, the things that were happening behind the doors, also, when it comes to recruiting, there was a lot of recruiting happening in strip clubs as well, so someone being brought into sex trafficking, escorting through the strip clubs. It's not just this-- I always laughed at the term the gentlemen's club, it's like, yes. No, to answer your question, definitely not the-- what'd you say, mom and pop?
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Chris: Mom and pop, yes.
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Danielle: Mom and pop, no.
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Chris: I believe I've read statistics that this is actually the number one illegirl organized industry in the world.
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Danielle: Yes, absolutely.
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Chris: You can't Google human trafficking or exploitation without seeing six articles over the last week or so, unfortunately. I think even more unfortunately, as you're seeing more commonly now people involved with it are your teacher, your coach, your people of clergy. It can happen anywhere, from and to anyone.
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Danielle: Yes, and it's getting exposed, and that's the good thing, is that there has been a highlight, and because of great organizations, survivors speaking out, people listening to survivors, there is this, for lack of a better word, exposure happening where it's coming to the light, it's coming to the surface, and so, yes.
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Chris: That's a big reason why I've made this a personal topic for me. I had no idea, I had my head in the sand, live in suburbia America, and had a guest on a few years ago, one by the name of Andy Berger, who was trafficked at the age of six months by her family. I was just oblivious to it, and then I just learned about her, and other people like her and like yourself have gone through this, and so, like you said, I'm trying to put as much of a spotlight on it as possible, and it's great to see others are as well, and I appreciate the work that you do, and being so open about what's happening, and what has happened to you.
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Danielle: Thanks, Chris, and I just want to interject, if I may.
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Chris: Sure, of course.
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Danielle: I just want to thank you as well for putting a highlight on this. Previous to us getting the opportunity to do this, I was looking through your podcast, and some of the topics, and they're fantastic. Listeners, I just want to encourage you, go back, go through the podcast that Chris has.
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Chris: Thank you, and that was an unsolicited plug, so I appreciate that, but thank you. Danielle, what are the root causes of women's exploitation, and how much do socioeconomic and cultural factors contribute to exploitation?
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Danielle: Yes, so, typically, it's women and girls, boys are trafficked as well, boys are exploited, but predominantly women, girls, people of color, LGBTQ, youth involved in the juvenile system, but a deeper response, and I was thinking about this, what do I really believe the root causes are? Yes, socioeconomic status has a lot to do with this, but looking at my own story, I grew up in a beautiful three-story, Tudor-style home by the water, parents, mom a teacher, dad business owner, really came from a great family, and yet was groomed into this, and when I look at my story, yes, my dad was there, but there was also alcoholism in the home, and so he wasn't well enough to have that father-daughter relationship I think that I was really lacking.
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To answer the question, I really believe that fatherlessness is a huge root because, and so building up the family, where there's stronger father-daughter bonds, I believe is important. I really believe that our culture right now, like the family, is just under attack, and so building up strong families is key.
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Chris: Are we talking mostly about young women, and sometimes men, who are lured into this industry, or do women who are older also fall prey?
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Danielle: I would say, yes, there's older women who fall prey, but there's definitely more-- it's the younger girl, yes, that'd be the younger girl.
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Chris: More easily swayable?
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Danielle: Yes, and then to add to this, being in Minnesota, there's a lot of services for the under 18. I shouldn't say a lot. There were some services available for the under 18, and then I had the opportunity to just help a little bit with implementing the safe harbor laws, which actually made services more available to the 18 to 24, or the 18 to 25. Because the thing is, when you're young, and you get groomed into this, it's like you're stuck. I was stuck, and there were several times I wanted out, hard to get out, and then finding the right services, and so definitely that 18 to 24, 25 range I believe, really is where a lot of services are needed right now, and support.
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Chris: What are the biggest challenges faced in combating the exploitation of women? Is it the reluctance of women themselves to leave the situation, maybe because they need the money?
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Danielle: Yes, absolutely. I'll speak for myself, it became a lifestyle, and it got worse. You can only survive so long in an environment where there's drug use, where there's abuse, so, yes.
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Chris: In your experience working with women, how often do substance abuse, addiction, and involvement in the commercial sex trade go hand-in-hand?
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Danielle: I would say 90 to 95%. I'm actually a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, and when I was working as a counselor, just working with individuals coming out of drug and alcohol use, some wanting to be there, some not wanting to be there at all, many of the women that I ended up meeting with were actually describing incidents of exploitation, or incidents of trafficking without having really the verbiage for it. Whether it be mild, moderate, or severe, there's usually a substance use disorder, or substance use happening for the women who are in the industry, or who are being exploited.
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Chris: What does it take to create a success story where a woman leaves the trade? Will most eventually leave the trade on their own, or do the people in the business just simply discard them when they're done?
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Danielle: From working with the incredible women that I have just had the privilege to work with many of them are leaving in ways on their own. However, there's always a point of intersect. Looking back, I had points of intersect with law enforcement. [chuckles] They didn't know what was going on. I didn't like them at the time. There's always that point or like a counselor. There's always somebody who personally, I believe can make the difference of saying something of being a support. From providing services and doing intervention in the strip clubs, a lot of times it's a woman getting to the place where she realizes, I can't do this anymore. I want out. I need something different. That's why we here at Action 169, it's more of here's a bridge. Should you choose? Should you want to get out? Here's some options for you.
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Chris: I mentioned that Fairmont is a small community. I'm sure many people in smaller communities can't imagine commercial sex exploitation happens in their towns. How can communities be educated about the signs of exploitation and the importance of addressing it?
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Danielle: Number one is to address it and to realize that this is happening in our own towns, in our own neighborhoods. Then, yes, just looking at ways prevention can happen, learning the signs. There's so much information out there really that you can find on the Internet of looking into ways to prevent exploitation and recognizing that it's happening. I think too, number one, it is just realizing, yes, it's happening and acknowledging that it's happening and not thinking that, "Oh, this is just something that happens over there." I don't do this as much anymore, but I used to always bring up that movie Taken.
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For those of you who've seen the movie Taken, she goes to a different country, she's kidnapped. That is not typical. The way that exploitation trafficking is happening domestically is through grooming, is through befriending. It's not like this kidnapped in the Walmart parking lot. I'm not saying that kidnapping doesn't happen, but the way that it's predominantly happening is through grooming.
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Chris: I think you're at least the second or third person, I guess, on the show to reference Taken regarding this topic. What laws or policies can communities adopt to provide better legirl protection for women?
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Danielle: This question was a little tricky for me. I need to be straightforward. I'm definitely more in the avenue of restorative care, and so when it comes to laws and policies, I actually had to look this up. I was thinking of a couple survivor friends, they would be great at answering this. I'm actually going to read the following. This is my response to that question. It's about in 2000, there was the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act, that's a mouthful, that really actually laid the groundwork for the federal response to human trafficking. One of the models that I would encourage listeners, if you're not familiar with the equality model, to look that up. The equality model actually prioritizes the rights of those who have been exploited, while holding buyers and exploiters accountable for the harms that they have caused.
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That's what we really-- I believe some places have implemented it. That is definitely needs to be I believe it came out of Sweden, so the equality model.
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Chris: How can women be empowered to protect themselves from exploitation?
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Danielle: Oh, gosh. These days, one of the things that we are teaching more so to-- especially a lot of the younger girls or girls in high school, is internet safety. Social media, cell phones, the technology contributes greatly to exploitation. Just having some internet smarts, not chatting it up with someone that they don't know. Internet safety, definitely.
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Chris: That's a great point. I had a guest on a few weeks ago, Donna Rice Hughes, who's focused on that and working on legislation. Again, Liz, there's another shameless plug here, but go back and watch that show for internet safety because she gave some great examples and some great websites just for learning materials. I guess maybe as a follow-up to that, the internet, social media, cell phones, and other technologies have contributed greatly to the commercial sex exploitation industry. Can technology play any role in preventing and addressing exploitation?
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Danielle: Yes, definitely. Putting out the right materials. We had a girl who did a lot of really incredible graphics and putting together media for Action 169 for our social media. Just getting the right facts out there, getting the right information out there. We would actually have media or carousels, they're called, that would be targeted for the young person to help them learn how to keep themselves safe. We did an e-book, The Freedom Fighter Challenge, which actually gave specifics how to be safe, how to recognize trafficking. Yes, media can be used. Just like you're doing here with this podcast, just getting survivors' voices out there, getting the right information into people's hearts and ears so that they can take effective action.
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Chris: We've been talking to Danielle Freitag, co-founding executive director of Action 169, a Minnesota organization committed to empowering women by addressing commercial sex exploitation and problematic substance abuse. We'll be right back after a short break to talk about the work the organization is doing to combat this epidemic.
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Narator: You are listening to Next Steps Forward. To reach Chris Meek or his guest on the show today, please call in to 1-888-346-9141. That's 1-888-346-9141. Send an email to chris @nextstepsforward.com. Now, back to this week's show.
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Chris: We are back. I'm Chris Meek, host of Next Steps Forward. My guest today is Danielle Freitag. Danielle is the co-founding executive director of Action 169, a Minnesota organization committed to addressing commercial sexual exploitation and problematic substance use through Christ-centered prevention, intervention, and holistic restoration care services. She's also the author of The Garden Keys, 22 Keys of Restoration Volumes 1 and 2. Danielle, Action 169 is a mission, prevention, intervention, and restoration. Take us through each of those, how you do it, and the results you've seen.
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Danielle: Intervention, I want to focus on that one actually just for now. Our intervention avenue or program is strip club outreach. Since 2014, we have been going into some of the same clubs, building relationships with the women. We see some get out, some are still there. There's usually a high turnover rate. Again, that is all about being a support, building a bridge, and being able to provide resources should the time come. That's really been my focus actually since 2014, just again, because I came out of all of that. That's, I would say, our intervention program is one of my favorites.
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Then we also have our restorative care and then our prevention program as well. The neat thing with intervention and restoration is, should someone decide that they're ready to get out or they want support or they want help, if we're a good fit, then we do have support groups. We have online. There's a couple of girls I actually meet with online. They're not even in Minnesota. Through the internet they found Action 169. I'm able to meet with them. Yes. Prevention program is really about building the family and, of course, preventing exploitation. Providing the right information to people so that this doesn't happen.
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Chris: Can you take us through that intervention part or that process? just walking into a strip club and say, hi, I'm Danielle and I'm here to help you.
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Danielle: How does that work? Yes. The nice thing is that I get to say, I'm Danielle. I know the ups and downs of the strip club industry and just here to be a support. We bring gifts and the girls love gifts. At this point we've been going, there's actually two clubs we've been going to since 2014. There's conversation happening with the managers. There's really a care there. Sometimes we'll bring something for them. I've been kicked out of one, we have been kicked out of one club. That is the one that I actually worked at for several years. Know those managers. That's, there's a whole story there. You're going to have to read the garden keys for that story. That's a wild one.
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Chris: Yes. Where can people find that book?
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Danielle: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, wherever books are.
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Chris: Action 169 also offers an online seminar designed for parents who desire to raise confident godly youth in today's hyper-sexualized culture. What does the webinar include and how can parents sign up for it if they'd like?
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Danielle: Yes, so we actually had Kristen Jensen, who is the author of Good Pictures, Bad Pictures, and founder of Defend Young Minds on that webinar. It is great. There are tips, tools, resources, and education available. That's actually, you can find that on our website. It's action169.com\webinar for parents. Again, I'm just going to read it here. It's a unique online webinar designed for parents who desire to raise confident godly youth in a hyper-sexualized culture.
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Chris: I know that you've personally worked with the state of Minnesota. Does Action 169 collaborate with other non-profits or any government agencies, and if not, would you do so if it would increase Action 169's reach and effectiveness?
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Danielle: Yes we would. I had the opportunity to speak, or sharing part of my story, but then just also had the honor of speaking in front of just about 300 law enforcement officers here in the state of Minnesota. That was a while back, but that opportunity was really incredible. I had one of the investigating officers, he'll call on occasion, share a case, ask for any support in identifying. Then as well, I got to be a consultant with the Minnesota Department. That's really about it. We do collaborate with other organizations, good to have allies, and so there's a couple other anti-trafficking organizations in the state of Minnesota, so yes.
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Chris: Strength in numbers.
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Danielle: Yes, exactly.
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Chris: I've mentioned a few times in the show that Action 169 provides trauma-informed faith-centered counseling to women who have experienced commercial sex exploitation. Can you tell our listeners and viewers, what is trauma-informed faith-centered counseling?
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Danielle: Yes, it's really a holistic approach, addressing body, spirit, soul, and is comprehensive. For example, we are big on expressive art therapy, sometimes 12-step facilitation if there's substance use there, sober support. It's person-centered, so anything trauma-informed is person-centered. For example, when a girl comes in, I'm going to sit with her, and we together, her verbalizing her goals and what she wants are going to create what I call an individualized restoration plan. Each person is unique, there's different needs, and so all the plans, all the restorative care isn't going to look exactly the same, although there are some things that we encourage for each person.
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Chris: How does trauma-informed counseling differ from traditional counseling?
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Danielle: That's a tough question. I would say that for any counselor, therapist, anyone having direct contact with someone who has been exploited or where there's that trauma, they, at this point, should be using a trauma-informed approach versus however it was before. This is just all I've known. I think, honestly, before there were words for it, because I had to go through my own restorative care that was unique to my needs.
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Chris: Can you describe the elements of faith-centered counseling? Is it simply a return to, or in some cases, an introduction to, biblical teachings?
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Danielle: I like that analogy, an introduction to biblical teachings, because I definitely don't ever want to cram the word or, if somebody they're just not sure yet. A lot of times, women, either they don't believe or they're mad at God. I get it. I understand. Really, it's just meeting them where they're at. When we had a couple of girls, when we are having women here, Rose Howell is coming in for restorative care, there was an option to do Bible study. It wasn't-- but every single time, they said yes. It's just, again, meeting somebody where they're at. Love is not forceful.
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Chris: What is holistic restoration, and how does it differ from traditional approaches to healing and recovery?
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Danielle: Yes. Again, it's the whole comprehensive body, spirit, and soul. Body, let's make sure that you're getting good exercise. Let's talk about healthy nutrition, body, spirit. There's that whole faith aspect, spirituality. Then soul, your mind, emotions, and will. Let's, look into it might be meeting with a therapist, it might be working on reframing mindsets. Working cognitive behavioral therapy. Again, it's the mind, body, spirit, soul.
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Chris: You've mentioned that these are all personalized sessions, I'll call them, and you talked about how every point has come through, has gone through the Bible readings. Making it personal again, do you involve or navigate each woman's own faith community in the healing process?
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Danielle: Yes, from the girls I've met with, some will be more interested and others aren't as much. Honestly, it's really sometimes planting seeds to a faith. My faith, of course, is extremely important to me, but it doesn't mean that it needs to be for somebody else. I do believe that that's a huge answer. Again, I also believe in just meeting somebody, where they're at.
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Chris: What training and qualifications should a counselor have to effectively provide trauma-informed faith-centered counseling?
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Danielle: Yes, definitely the trauma-informed approach, holistic approach, understanding cognitive behavioral therapy. One of my favorites is motivational interviewing. Yes, that's definitely one of my favorites, and I use it often. Anybody that has had direct, is meeting directly with the women that we serve, we have a course where we actually teach the motivational interviewing to them.
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Chris: Maybe as a follow-up, are there ethical considerations that are unique to trauma-informed faith-centered counseling?
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Danielle: I can't really think of anything off the bat.
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Chris: Maybe, how do you ensure that you're maintaining a balance between professional psychological practices and faith-based guidance?
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Danielle: Yes, boundaries. Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries. This is something that we have a girl on our team. She's a psychotherapist, and she is great. if I'm struggling with something, I know that I can go to her, and she can point me in the right direction, because I definitely don't want to get too entangled. Something else I learned years ago is not to take home what somebody is struggling with. Because, of course, I'm praying for these women. Of course, I want them to do well, but then, I have my family, I'm a new mom. They're number one.
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Chris: We talked about the challenges in combating sexual exploitation itself, but what are some of the biggest challenges faced in trauma-informed faith-centered counseling, and how do you overcome them?
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Danielle: We, when I say we, I say, the anti-trafficking movement, there's a lot of people doing some really incredible work. The organizations that have beds, that have restorative care available, need support. [chuckles] There's not enough beds, not enough spaces, and then the ones that are in place, they might be struggling just to be able to pay their staff. Any chance, listeners, especially, any chance you get to be a support to a ministry or organization that you believe in, our support partners make it happen.
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Chris: I know that some women do return to the sex trade for various reasons. Are you able to ensure that the women you care for maintain their progress and continue to heal after counseling ends?
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Danielle: I was thinking of one individual with this, question is, I know she's back. I know that she's back working in escorting, and so it's just maintaining, a relationship where it's on her. How do I say this, where if she reaches out, we can be there, but we're not, pursuing her down like, "Hey, get out." Some of the women have stayed out, some have gone on to have, amazing life changes, but no, we can't ensure. I don't really think anybody can. We all have different stages in life and go through changes. It's always great when there's an incredible success story, but the truth is, when someone goes through the trauma of exploitation, there is a road of recovery. There's a road of healing and sometimes they might step back into it and then come back out again a year later. That's the reality, that's the truth of it.
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Chris: What long-term support strategies do you recommend for women who have completed trauma-informed faith-centered counseling?
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Danielle: Yes, get involved in community. Having a support group of some kind. If your faith is important to you, getting involved in a Bible study, having support, having good communication, healthy support, having boundaries with those who aren't healthy for you, good self-care. Body, spirit, and soul.
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Chris: A moment ago you mentioned how you can't take it home with you, for lack of a better phrase. How do you protect your own mental and spiritual well-being, especially having experienced the trauma yourself?
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Danielle: Yes, prayer, my relationship with Jesus Christ, exercise. My husband and I, we've been married, oh goodness, 15 years, 16 years, something like that. We were married just about 10 years before having children of our own and we ended up adopting and they are both the answer to prayer. Right now, I'm actually in a season of transition where I am so much more focused on being a mother. I get the opportunity to bring on board somebody who's in the season of their life where they can be more involved in counseling and support and being here all of the time. I learned early on, especially working in the substance use counseling is how to-- I had a counselor one time say to me, picture a picture of everything and put it in your hands and then just lift it up, give it to God.
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He's after these individuals more than you are. Self-care is absolutely key. We can't burn ourselves out, I wasn't going to burn myself out, so.
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Chris: We have just a few minutes left in the show, but first, please share with our audience how they can help Action 169 and how they can contact you and your organization.
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Danielle: Yes, so everything is right on our website, action169.com. There's information there, of course, prayer support is always great. We actually have a free download. We're big believers in prayer, so you can always pray for us, pray for those that we serve, but then also donations of support is also good financial support. Then there's volunteer opportunities as well. All of that is on action169.com.
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Chris: Danielle, guests always have the final word in the show, and I always like to have them take us to the end of our conversation with advice or a story that helps our audience become more resilient and more empowered. Would you share with us what gives you hope?
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Danielle: Right away, this is what came to mind, is that each person, no matter what they're doing, can be a part of the solution. Whether it is a prayer taking a few minutes and saying a prayer for an organization, [chuckles] we've had our ups and we've had our downs. Again, I really believe that because our foundation has been faith-based, there's been some incredible things that happened, but the foundation is sturdy. Just know that your prayers matter, your support matters. Say there's an organization or ministry you believe in, any support matters.
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Gosh, I'm just trying to think of a story. I share this one so much, I'll keep it really short. We've been doing strip club outreach into this specific club for years. The girls recognize us when we come in, we come in and one of the girls runs over in her stilettos and she's crying, tearful, wants to talk. We go into one of the little dressing rooms or little rooms with the pole and she's sobbing and I'm just listening to her and just thinking, okay, "What am I supposed to say?" This is what came to mind. When I'm down, a lot of times I will sing. I love singing. I sing scripture, but I love singing.
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I said to her, when you were little, "When you were little, did you like to sing?" She said, "Yes, I did." "What song did you sing?" She said, "Yes, Jesus loves me." I said, "Well, do you want to sing it?" We end up singing Yes, Jesus loves me right there in the strip club and it's loud and she's crying. The presence of God, I can feel the presence of God. She's having like this peace encounter, like just transformative. We've been able to keep in connection with her, see changes. The wild part of the story is that about a week later, this strip club burnt down to the ground. It was by accident of one of the girls flicked her cigarettes in the dumpster outside and it like caught on fire. All the girls go to the next strip club anyways.
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It's quite the story. I really believe that there was a moment in her heart, like there was an altar built where she had an encounter with God. Those stories matter. Each person supporting any organization that has direct contact with women who are in the industry, it matters.
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Chris: Danielle Freitag, thank you so much for being with us today.
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Danielle: Thanks for having me, Chris.
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Chris: I'm Chris Meek, we are out of itme. We'll see you next week. Same time, same place. Until then, stay safe and keep taking your next steps forward.
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Narator: Thanks for tuning in to Next Steps Forward. Be sure to join Chris Meek for another great show next Tuesday at 10:00 AM Pacific Time and 1:00 PM Eastern Time on The Voice America Empowerment Channel. This week, make things happen in your life.
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Narator: There are few things that make people successful. Taking a step forward to change their lives is one successful trait, but it takes some time to get there. How do you move forward to greet the success that awaits you? Welcome to Next Steps Forward with host Chris Meek. Each week, Chris brings on another guest who has successfully taken the next steps forward. Now here is Chris Meek.
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Chris: Hello, I'm Chris Meek, and you've tuned to this week's episode of Next Steps Forward. As always, it's a pleasure to have you with us. Our special guest today is Danielle Freitag. Danielle is an author, the co-founding executive director of Action 169, and she has overcome severe addiction in the commercial sex industry. She's a licensed alcohol and drug counselor who received her degree from Minnesota State University. She has continued to work in a variety of settings as a counselor and advocate, providing direct support, care, and counseling for women in recovery, and her mission is to empower women to overcome substance use and to enable those in the strip club industry to know their intrinsic worth.
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Danielle Freitag is the creator of a trauma-informed, faith-centered counseling program that promotes holistic restoration through evidence-based practices, including the creative arts. She's the author of Best Care Practices, a manual for service providers, and The Garden Keys, 22 Keys of Restoration Volumes 1 and 2. Danielle Freitag, welcome to Next Steps Forward.
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Danielle: All right. Thanks, Chris, for having me.
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Chris: Danielle, there are so many aspects of this topic to discuss, but let's begin with your story, which is described as a captivating story of transformation that inspires hope and offers solutions.
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Danielle: Yes. Maybe let's set a time limit. You cut me off.
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I'll try to keep it short. There is so much which is in part, why I wrote a couple of books. I grew up in a small town in southern Minnesota. Honestly great family. Went to school, all the things, played in sports. In my teen years just really began to struggle, started early drug use, and there was alcoholism growing up in my home. Thankfully, my dad is now sober. There's a great story there of transformation, but I really believe that there was a part of me that just really struggled from that, and so seeking older male comfort and ended up in a relationship with an older gentleman, an older man, and it was through that "relationship" that led me into the strip club industry. Just after my 18th birthday, I started working in the strip clubs in Minneapolis and was stuck there for several years.
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That's the short version of being essentially groomed into the commercial sex industry.
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Chris: I've heard the word groomed so often by survivors. Can you share some examples of what that actually means? Because I think some people just might not know what's coming, what's happening.
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Danielle: Yes, definitely. For me, one of the ways that, now looking back and doing what I do now, I can see a lot clearer how I was groomed. I was already struggling with substance use, so alcohol and drugs, and the boyfriend that I had at the time, and keep in mind, I was still in school. I'm going to school, like high school, but going to parties, things like that, and the boyfriend that I had, what ended up happening is he had essentially coerced me into doing a, his words, harmless strip tease for one of his friends, and it was his friend that ended up pursuing me, and really through buying gifts, taking me places that I thought at the time were exciting. Again, still trying to go to school, playing sports, but also really struggling.
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Grooming would also have been just the attention. Really youth are vulnerable because they're youth, but then add into the fact that I grew up in a home where there was alcoholism, was already struggling with substance use, those vulnerabilities, added to being a having that happen. I hope that answers your question, I'm just trying to think of, there's so many different ways of grooming, but for me, when I look back, that's what happened, it was the substance use, it was the attention, it was all of those things.
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Chris: Those seem to be fairly common, like I mentioned, the other survivors I spoke to. Thanks for sharing those. Many people think of the adult film industry, when this topic comes up, define commercial sex exploitation so people understand everything that's involved, and is it more than just pornography?
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Danielle: Sure. This is a great question, by the way, I was reading through the notes, and this is a good question, because a lot of times, we hear the word human trafficking out there. Really, we need to look at the full spectrum, commercial sexual exploitation, which does include being prostituted, it includes being brought into pornography, live sex shows, stripping, personal sexual servitude, escort services. I can't tell you the number of women that I've worked with who through limited choices, maybe they started working in the strip club, and then they got into escort services, which is a form of trafficking, somebody's profiting off of their exploitation. Sex tourism, mail order brides, the list goes on, but that is commercial sexual exploitation.
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Chris: When did you co-found Action 169, and who worked with you to get started?
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Danielle: Action 169 has been around since 2014, and actually began from a group of individuals, good friends of ours, my husband and I, a couple others, we actually started having prayer meetings. We are a faith-based organization, and I have no shame in saying that, because it is through my faith that not only I came out of everything, but then also, I believe the opportunities we've had is also because of that. We started, actually, prayer, and just really looking into the issue of exploitation trafficking, and how can we be a support to those who have been affected? How can we provide a bridge of services? It's never been about rescuing, it's been about meeting women where they're at.
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What ended up happening is I got to fulfill a dream, which was actually to go back into the strip club industry, and not to work, but to actually build a relationship with the women who are still there. To this day, that is our number one ministry focus. Number one, we do an array of other things. Co-founder of friends of Ours, my husband as well, and that's really how we started, so since 2014.
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Chris: How'd you choose the name, Action 169?
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Danielle: Yes, so a lot of times, people think that it's because-- so Minnesota Highway 169, and interestingly enough, we do, we started, we had a billboard that we put up on Highway 169, but that's not the reason for our name. Actually, it comes from the book of Acts, chapter 16:9, and Paul is actually given a dream, he's given a vision of a man in Macedonia who is suffering, and what's great about this verse, the next verse, 10, is that after he gets the word, after he gets the vision, he immediately takes action, and he goes to Macedonia, but then you read further into the chapter, and it's actually a woman that they first encounter, and so it's Acts, chapter 16:9, 169.
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Chris: Did you begin with the same mission that you have today, or did it expand as Action 169's resources grew?
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Danielle: Yes, so we definitely have expanded. We have three main avenues of reach prevention, so a couple of our prevention programs definitely work towards building stronger families. We have things like the Daddy Daughter Dance, where dads get the opportunity to hear an incredible dad talk, bring their daughters to a dance, build that relationship. We also have a prevention program called Runway for Action, where we have mentorship and provide high-end prom dresses to girls in high school, so there's a whole story there. It's so cool. We have prevention, we have intervention, we've always had intervention, which is our strip club outreach, where we are building relationships, bringing gifts into the strip clubs, no strings attached, and then we also have our restoration program.
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I actually want to just share very briefly that the dream, and it's still here, but the dream was to be able to provide restorative care to those who are choosing to get out. To those who are out and looking for support. We've actually, through intervention and restoration been able to provide support services one way or another to about 600 women, some with children, and we did open up a home in 2020. Yes, the timing, 2020, everything that happened, but yes andactually our adoption went through, so I became a mother, in 2020, and then we opened up Rose House, and we're open for just about four years. Just most recently, we're shifting gears. It's been good. It's also been challenging. We have been able to provide housing support for a period of time, and are in the deciding factor of what to do there, but we're still providing support services, individual care groups, and yes. It's been, since 2014, the stories, but the neat thing, I've been able to meet some incredible women who some get out, some go on to other things, and then there's others who are still working, for example, in the strip clubs, and that's what they're wanting to do right now. I'm still going to meet them where they're at.
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Chris: Action 169 is located in Fairmont, Minnesota. When people think of the commercial sex trade, they probably don't think of it, much of a problem in Fairmont, Minnesota, with a population of 10,200. Do we have the wrong impression of wholesome Midwest, and what's actually happening in rural America with sex trade?
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Danielle: Yes, so another really good question. I'd be interested to hear, I know, Chris, that you've done several interviews, and that's great that you're meeting with survivors and hearing, it'd be interesting to hear. Go back and listen to all your other podcasts and hear what is said, but as far as Minnesota goes, I'm just going to give a fact or a stat here as a Minnesota fact. In just 2021, there were 335 tips in Minnesota, so from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, that means that there were 335 tips, 119 of them were the victims or survivors, I should say, overcomers of human trafficking.
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In those cases, 98 were identified, and they involved 148 victims. The state recorded 75 sex trafficking cases and eight labor cases, and actually, this is an old stat, but the Twin Cities is still, and it definitely was in the top 13 US cities for child sex trafficking. Take into account, that there are maybe roughly 25 strip clubs in Minnesota. Wherever there is commercial sexual exploitation, wherever there are strip clubs, there will be sex trafficking. That is an absolute fact from having worked in the strip clubs for six years, it just is, and so, yes, there's exploitation happening here, there's trafficking happening right in Minnesota.
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Chris: Obviously, money's a driver, or maybe the driver, of the commercial sex trade, but is it essentially, for lack of a better term, mama-pop strip clubs, or is it more of an organized industry?
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Danielle: I would definitely say an organized industry, and from seeing the inner workings of family ownership of a certain brand of strip clubs, the things that were happening behind the doors, also, when it comes to recruiting, there was a lot of recruiting happening in strip clubs as well, so someone being brought into sex trafficking, escorting through the strip clubs. It's not just this-- I always laughed at the term the gentlemen's club, it's like, yes. No, to answer your question, definitely not the-- what'd you say, mom and pop?
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Chris: Mom and pop, yes.
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Danielle: Mom and pop, no.
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Chris: I believe I've read statistics that this is actually the number one illegirl organized industry in the world.
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Danielle: Yes, absolutely.
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Chris: You can't Google human trafficking or exploitation without seeing six articles over the last week or so, unfortunately. I think even more unfortunately, as you're seeing more commonly now people involved with it are your teacher, your coach, your people of clergy. It can happen anywhere, from and to anyone.
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Danielle: Yes, and it's getting exposed, and that's the good thing, is that there has been a highlight, and because of great organizations, survivors speaking out, people listening to survivors, there is this, for lack of a better word, exposure happening where it's coming to the light, it's coming to the surface, and so, yes.
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Chris: That's a big reason why I've made this a personal topic for me. I had no idea, I had my head in the sand, live in suburbia America, and had a guest on a few years ago, one by the name of Andy Berger, who was trafficked at the age of six months by her family. I was just oblivious to it, and then I just learned about her, and other people like her and like yourself have gone through this, and so, like you said, I'm trying to put as much of a spotlight on it as possible, and it's great to see others are as well, and I appreciate the work that you do, and being so open about what's happening, and what has happened to you.
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Danielle: Thanks, Chris, and I just want to interject, if I may.
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Chris: Sure, of course.
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Danielle: I just want to thank you as well for putting a highlight on this. Previous to us getting the opportunity to do this, I was looking through your podcast, and some of the topics, and they're fantastic. Listeners, I just want to encourage you, go back, go through the podcast that Chris has.
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Chris: Thank you, and that was an unsolicited plug, so I appreciate that, but thank you. Danielle, what are the root causes of women's exploitation, and how much do socioeconomic and cultural factors contribute to exploitation?
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Danielle: Yes, so, typically, it's women and girls, boys are trafficked as well, boys are exploited, but predominantly women, girls, people of color, LGBTQ, youth involved in the juvenile system, but a deeper response, and I was thinking about this, what do I really believe the root causes are? Yes, socioeconomic status has a lot to do with this, but looking at my own story, I grew up in a beautiful three-story, Tudor-style home by the water, parents, mom a teacher, dad business owner, really came from a great family, and yet was groomed into this, and when I look at my story, yes, my dad was there, but there was also alcoholism in the home, and so he wasn't well enough to have that father-daughter relationship I think that I was really lacking.
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To answer the question, I really believe that fatherlessness is a huge root because, and so building up the family, where there's stronger father-daughter bonds, I believe is important. I really believe that our culture right now, like the family, is just under attack, and so building up strong families is key.
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Chris: Are we talking mostly about young women, and sometimes men, who are lured into this industry, or do women who are older also fall prey?
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Danielle: I would say, yes, there's older women who fall prey, but there's definitely more-- it's the younger girl, yes, that'd be the younger girl.
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Chris: More easily swayable?
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Danielle: Yes, and then to add to this, being in Minnesota, there's a lot of services for the under 18. I shouldn't say a lot. There were some services available for the under 18, and then I had the opportunity to just help a little bit with implementing the safe harbor laws, which actually made services more available to the 18 to 24, or the 18 to 25. Because the thing is, when you're young, and you get groomed into this, it's like you're stuck. I was stuck, and there were several times I wanted out, hard to get out, and then finding the right services, and so definitely that 18 to 24, 25 range I believe, really is where a lot of services are needed right now, and support.
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Chris: What are the biggest challenges faced in combating the exploitation of women? Is it the reluctance of women themselves to leave the situation, maybe because they need the money?
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Danielle: Yes, absolutely. I'll speak for myself, it became a lifestyle, and it got worse. You can only survive so long in an environment where there's drug use, where there's abuse, so, yes.
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Chris: In your experience working with women, how often do substance abuse, addiction, and involvement in the commercial sex trade go hand-in-hand?
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Danielle: I would say 90 to 95%. I'm actually a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, and when I was working as a counselor, just working with individuals coming out of drug and alcohol use, some wanting to be there, some not wanting to be there at all, many of the women that I ended up meeting with were actually describing incidents of exploitation, or incidents of trafficking without having really the verbiage for it. Whether it be mild, moderate, or severe, there's usually a substance use disorder, or substance use happening for the women who are in the industry, or who are being exploited.
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Chris: What does it take to create a success story where a woman leaves the trade? Will most eventually leave the trade on their own, or do the people in the business just simply discard them when they're done?
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Danielle: From working with the incredible women that I have just had the privilege to work with many of them are leaving in ways on their own. However, there's always a point of intersect. Looking back, I had points of intersect with law enforcement. [chuckles] They didn't know what was going on. I didn't like them at the time. There's always that point or like a counselor. There's always somebody who personally, I believe can make the difference of saying something of being a support. From providing services and doing intervention in the strip clubs, a lot of times it's a woman getting to the place where she realizes, I can't do this anymore. I want out. I need something different. That's why we here at Action 169, it's more of here's a bridge. Should you choose? Should you want to get out? Here's some options for you.
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Chris: I mentioned that Fairmont is a small community. I'm sure many people in smaller communities can't imagine commercial sex exploitation happens in their towns. How can communities be educated about the signs of exploitation and the importance of addressing it?
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Danielle: Number one is to address it and to realize that this is happening in our own towns, in our own neighborhoods. Then, yes, just looking at ways prevention can happen, learning the signs. There's so much information out there really that you can find on the Internet of looking into ways to prevent exploitation and recognizing that it's happening. I think too, number one, it is just realizing, yes, it's happening and acknowledging that it's happening and not thinking that, "Oh, this is just something that happens over there." I don't do this as much anymore, but I used to always bring up that movie Taken.
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For those of you who've seen the movie Taken, she goes to a different country, she's kidnapped. That is not typical. The way that exploitation trafficking is happening domestically is through grooming, is through befriending. It's not like this kidnapped in the Walmart parking lot. I'm not saying that kidnapping doesn't happen, but the way that it's predominantly happening is through grooming.
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Chris: I think you're at least the second or third person, I guess, on the show to reference Taken regarding this topic. What laws or policies can communities adopt to provide better legirl protection for women?
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Danielle: This question was a little tricky for me. I need to be straightforward. I'm definitely more in the avenue of restorative care, and so when it comes to laws and policies, I actually had to look this up. I was thinking of a couple survivor friends, they would be great at answering this. I'm actually going to read the following. This is my response to that question. It's about in 2000, there was the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act, that's a mouthful, that really actually laid the groundwork for the federal response to human trafficking. One of the models that I would encourage listeners, if you're not familiar with the equality model, to look that up. The equality model actually prioritizes the rights of those who have been exploited, while holding buyers and exploiters accountable for the harms that they have caused.
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That's what we really-- I believe some places have implemented it. That is definitely needs to be I believe it came out of Sweden, so the equality model.
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Chris: How can women be empowered to protect themselves from exploitation?
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Danielle: Oh, gosh. These days, one of the things that we are teaching more so to-- especially a lot of the younger girls or girls in high school, is internet safety. Social media, cell phones, the technology contributes greatly to exploitation. Just having some internet smarts, not chatting it up with someone that they don't know. Internet safety, definitely.
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Chris: That's a great point. I had a guest on a few weeks ago, Donna Rice Hughes, who's focused on that and working on legislation. Again, Liz, there's another shameless plug here, but go back and watch that show for internet safety because she gave some great examples and some great websites just for learning materials. I guess maybe as a follow-up to that, the internet, social media, cell phones, and other technologies have contributed greatly to the commercial sex exploitation industry. Can technology play any role in preventing and addressing exploitation?
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Danielle: Yes, definitely. Putting out the right materials. We had a girl who did a lot of really incredible graphics and putting together media for Action 169 for our social media. Just getting the right facts out there, getting the right information out there. We would actually have media or carousels, they're called, that would be targeted for the young person to help them learn how to keep themselves safe. We did an e-book, The Freedom Fighter Challenge, which actually gave specifics how to be safe, how to recognize trafficking. Yes, media can be used. Just like you're doing here with this podcast, just getting survivors' voices out there, getting the right information into people's hearts and ears so that they can take effective action.
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Chris: We've been talking to Danielle Freitag, co-founding executive director of Action 169, a Minnesota organization committed to empowering women by addressing commercial sex exploitation and problematic substance abuse. We'll be right back after a short break to talk about the work the organization is doing to combat this epidemic.
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Narator: You are listening to Next Steps Forward. To reach Chris Meek or his guest on the show today, please call in to 1-888-346-9141. That's 1-888-346-9141. Send an email to chris @nextstepsforward.com. Now, back to this week's show.
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Chris: We are back. I'm Chris Meek, host of Next Steps Forward. My guest today is Danielle Freitag. Danielle is the co-founding executive director of Action 169, a Minnesota organization committed to addressing commercial sexual exploitation and problematic substance use through Christ-centered prevention, intervention, and holistic restoration care services. She's also the author of The Garden Keys, 22 Keys of Restoration Volumes 1 and 2. Danielle, Action 169 is a mission, prevention, intervention, and restoration. Take us through each of those, how you do it, and the results you've seen.
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Danielle: Intervention, I want to focus on that one actually just for now. Our intervention avenue or program is strip club outreach. Since 2014, we have been going into some of the same clubs, building relationships with the women. We see some get out, some are still there. There's usually a high turnover rate. Again, that is all about being a support, building a bridge, and being able to provide resources should the time come. That's really been my focus actually since 2014, just again, because I came out of all of that. That's, I would say, our intervention program is one of my favorites.
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Then we also have our restorative care and then our prevention program as well. The neat thing with intervention and restoration is, should someone decide that they're ready to get out or they want support or they want help, if we're a good fit, then we do have support groups. We have online. There's a couple of girls I actually meet with online. They're not even in Minnesota. Through the internet they found Action 169. I'm able to meet with them. Yes. Prevention program is really about building the family and, of course, preventing exploitation. Providing the right information to people so that this doesn't happen.
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Chris: Can you take us through that intervention part or that process? just walking into a strip club and say, hi, I'm Danielle and I'm here to help you.
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Danielle: How does that work? Yes. The nice thing is that I get to say, I'm Danielle. I know the ups and downs of the strip club industry and just here to be a support. We bring gifts and the girls love gifts. At this point we've been going, there's actually two clubs we've been going to since 2014. There's conversation happening with the managers. There's really a care there. Sometimes we'll bring something for them. I've been kicked out of one, we have been kicked out of one club. That is the one that I actually worked at for several years. Know those managers. That's, there's a whole story there. You're going to have to read the garden keys for that story. That's a wild one.
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Chris: Yes. Where can people find that book?
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Danielle: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, wherever books are.
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Chris: Action 169 also offers an online seminar designed for parents who desire to raise confident godly youth in today's hyper-sexualized culture. What does the webinar include and how can parents sign up for it if they'd like?
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Danielle: Yes, so we actually had Kristen Jensen, who is the author of Good Pictures, Bad Pictures, and founder of Defend Young Minds on that webinar. It is great. There are tips, tools, resources, and education available. That's actually, you can find that on our website. It's action169.com\webinar for parents. Again, I'm just going to read it here. It's a unique online webinar designed for parents who desire to raise confident godly youth in a hyper-sexualized culture.
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Chris: I know that you've personally worked with the state of Minnesota. Does Action 169 collaborate with other non-profits or any government agencies, and if not, would you do so if it would increase Action 169's reach and effectiveness?
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Danielle: Yes we would. I had the opportunity to speak, or sharing part of my story, but then just also had the honor of speaking in front of just about 300 law enforcement officers here in the state of Minnesota. That was a while back, but that opportunity was really incredible. I had one of the investigating officers, he'll call on occasion, share a case, ask for any support in identifying. Then as well, I got to be a consultant with the Minnesota Department. That's really about it. We do collaborate with other organizations, good to have allies, and so there's a couple other anti-trafficking organizations in the state of Minnesota, so yes.
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Chris: Strength in numbers.
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Danielle: Yes, exactly.
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Chris: I've mentioned a few times in the show that Action 169 provides trauma-informed faith-centered counseling to women who have experienced commercial sex exploitation. Can you tell our listeners and viewers, what is trauma-informed faith-centered counseling?
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Danielle: Yes, it's really a holistic approach, addressing body, spirit, soul, and is comprehensive. For example, we are big on expressive art therapy, sometimes 12-step facilitation if there's substance use there, sober support. It's person-centered, so anything trauma-informed is person-centered. For example, when a girl comes in, I'm going to sit with her, and we together, her verbalizing her goals and what she wants are going to create what I call an individualized restoration plan. Each person is unique, there's different needs, and so all the plans, all the restorative care isn't going to look exactly the same, although there are some things that we encourage for each person.
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Chris: How does trauma-informed counseling differ from traditional counseling?
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Danielle: That's a tough question. I would say that for any counselor, therapist, anyone having direct contact with someone who has been exploited or where there's that trauma, they, at this point, should be using a trauma-informed approach versus however it was before. This is just all I've known. I think, honestly, before there were words for it, because I had to go through my own restorative care that was unique to my needs.
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Chris: Can you describe the elements of faith-centered counseling? Is it simply a return to, or in some cases, an introduction to, biblical teachings?
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Danielle: I like that analogy, an introduction to biblical teachings, because I definitely don't ever want to cram the word or, if somebody they're just not sure yet. A lot of times, women, either they don't believe or they're mad at God. I get it. I understand. Really, it's just meeting them where they're at. When we had a couple of girls, when we are having women here, Rose Howell is coming in for restorative care, there was an option to do Bible study. It wasn't-- but every single time, they said yes. It's just, again, meeting somebody where they're at. Love is not forceful.
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Chris: What is holistic restoration, and how does it differ from traditional approaches to healing and recovery?
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Danielle: Yes. Again, it's the whole comprehensive body, spirit, and soul. Body, let's make sure that you're getting good exercise. Let's talk about healthy nutrition, body, spirit. There's that whole faith aspect, spirituality. Then soul, your mind, emotions, and will. Let's, look into it might be meeting with a therapist, it might be working on reframing mindsets. Working cognitive behavioral therapy. Again, it's the mind, body, spirit, soul.
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Chris: You've mentioned that these are all personalized sessions, I'll call them, and you talked about how every point has come through, has gone through the Bible readings. Making it personal again, do you involve or navigate each woman's own faith community in the healing process?
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Danielle: Yes, from the girls I've met with, some will be more interested and others aren't as much. Honestly, it's really sometimes planting seeds to a faith. My faith, of course, is extremely important to me, but it doesn't mean that it needs to be for somebody else. I do believe that that's a huge answer. Again, I also believe in just meeting somebody, where they're at.
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Chris: What training and qualifications should a counselor have to effectively provide trauma-informed faith-centered counseling?
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Danielle: Yes, definitely the trauma-informed approach, holistic approach, understanding cognitive behavioral therapy. One of my favorites is motivational interviewing. Yes, that's definitely one of my favorites, and I use it often. Anybody that has had direct, is meeting directly with the women that we serve, we have a course where we actually teach the motivational interviewing to them.
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Chris: Maybe as a follow-up, are there ethical considerations that are unique to trauma-informed faith-centered counseling?
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Danielle: I can't really think of anything off the bat.
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Chris: Maybe, how do you ensure that you're maintaining a balance between professional psychological practices and faith-based guidance?
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Danielle: Yes, boundaries. Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries. This is something that we have a girl on our team. She's a psychotherapist, and she is great. if I'm struggling with something, I know that I can go to her, and she can point me in the right direction, because I definitely don't want to get too entangled. Something else I learned years ago is not to take home what somebody is struggling with. Because, of course, I'm praying for these women. Of course, I want them to do well, but then, I have my family, I'm a new mom. They're number one.
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Chris: We talked about the challenges in combating sexual exploitation itself, but what are some of the biggest challenges faced in trauma-informed faith-centered counseling, and how do you overcome them?
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Danielle: We, when I say we, I say, the anti-trafficking movement, there's a lot of people doing some really incredible work. The organizations that have beds, that have restorative care available, need support. [chuckles] There's not enough beds, not enough spaces, and then the ones that are in place, they might be struggling just to be able to pay their staff. Any chance, listeners, especially, any chance you get to be a support to a ministry or organization that you believe in, our support partners make it happen.
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Chris: I know that some women do return to the sex trade for various reasons. Are you able to ensure that the women you care for maintain their progress and continue to heal after counseling ends?
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Danielle: I was thinking of one individual with this, question is, I know she's back. I know that she's back working in escorting, and so it's just maintaining, a relationship where it's on her. How do I say this, where if she reaches out, we can be there, but we're not, pursuing her down like, "Hey, get out." Some of the women have stayed out, some have gone on to have, amazing life changes, but no, we can't ensure. I don't really think anybody can. We all have different stages in life and go through changes. It's always great when there's an incredible success story, but the truth is, when someone goes through the trauma of exploitation, there is a road of recovery. There's a road of healing and sometimes they might step back into it and then come back out again a year later. That's the reality, that's the truth of it.
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Chris: What long-term support strategies do you recommend for women who have completed trauma-informed faith-centered counseling?
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Danielle: Yes, get involved in community. Having a support group of some kind. If your faith is important to you, getting involved in a Bible study, having support, having good communication, healthy support, having boundaries with those who aren't healthy for you, good self-care. Body, spirit, and soul.
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Chris: A moment ago you mentioned how you can't take it home with you, for lack of a better phrase. How do you protect your own mental and spiritual well-being, especially having experienced the trauma yourself?
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Danielle: Yes, prayer, my relationship with Jesus Christ, exercise. My husband and I, we've been married, oh goodness, 15 years, 16 years, something like that. We were married just about 10 years before having children of our own and we ended up adopting and they are both the answer to prayer. Right now, I'm actually in a season of transition where I am so much more focused on being a mother. I get the opportunity to bring on board somebody who's in the season of their life where they can be more involved in counseling and support and being here all of the time. I learned early on, especially working in the substance use counseling is how to-- I had a counselor one time say to me, picture a picture of everything and put it in your hands and then just lift it up, give it to God.
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He's after these individuals more than you are. Self-care is absolutely key. We can't burn ourselves out, I wasn't going to burn myself out, so.
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Chris: We have just a few minutes left in the show, but first, please share with our audience how they can help Action 169 and how they can contact you and your organization.
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Danielle: Yes, so everything is right on our website, action169.com. There's information there, of course, prayer support is always great. We actually have a free download. We're big believers in prayer, so you can always pray for us, pray for those that we serve, but then also donations of support is also good financial support. Then there's volunteer opportunities as well. All of that is on action169.com.
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Chris: Danielle, guests always have the final word in the show, and I always like to have them take us to the end of our conversation with advice or a story that helps our audience become more resilient and more empowered. Would you share with us what gives you hope?
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Danielle: Right away, this is what came to mind, is that each person, no matter what they're doing, can be a part of the solution. Whether it is a prayer taking a few minutes and saying a prayer for an organization, [chuckles] we've had our ups and we've had our downs. Again, I really believe that because our foundation has been faith-based, there's been some incredible things that happened, but the foundation is sturdy. Just know that your prayers matter, your support matters. Say there's an organization or ministry you believe in, any support matters.
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Gosh, I'm just trying to think of a story. I share this one so much, I'll keep it really short. We've been doing strip club outreach into this specific club for years. The girls recognize us when we come in, we come in and one of the girls runs over in her stilettos and she's crying, tearful, wants to talk. We go into one of the little dressing rooms or little rooms with the pole and she's sobbing and I'm just listening to her and just thinking, okay, "What am I supposed to say?" This is what came to mind. When I'm down, a lot of times I will sing. I love singing. I sing scripture, but I love singing.
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I said to her, when you were little, "When you were little, did you like to sing?" She said, "Yes, I did." "What song did you sing?" She said, "Yes, Jesus loves me." I said, "Well, do you want to sing it?" We end up singing Yes, Jesus loves me right there in the strip club and it's loud and she's crying. The presence of God, I can feel the presence of God. She's having like this peace encounter, like just transformative. We've been able to keep in connection with her, see changes. The wild part of the story is that about a week later, this strip club burnt down to the ground. It was by accident of one of the girls flicked her cigarettes in the dumpster outside and it like caught on fire. All the girls go to the next strip club anyways.
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It's quite the story. I really believe that there was a moment in her heart, like there was an altar built where she had an encounter with God. Those stories matter. Each person supporting any organization that has direct contact with women who are in the industry, it matters.
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Chris: Danielle Freitag, thank you so much for being with us today.
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Danielle: Thanks for having me, Chris.
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Chris: I'm Chris Meek, we are out of itme. We'll see you next week. Same time, same place. Until then, stay safe and keep taking your next steps forward.
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Narator: Thanks for tuning in to Next Steps Forward. Be sure to join Chris Meek for another great show next Tuesday at 10:00 AM Pacific Time and 1:00 PM Eastern Time on The Voice America Empowerment Channel. This week, make things happen in your life.
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